NOV 30, 14 .. 12 BORRETT ROAD .. HONG KONG ..

My story and my connection with the A.A. meetings located at 12 Borrett Road in Hong Kong began in the autumn of 1988 in Reno, Nevada.  

While attending a Monday night meeting a long-timer named Harry shared about having just returned from a trip to Hong Kong.  

Harry stated that he had decided that .. since he was in Hong Kong .. no one would ever know that he had picked up the first drink and so he would do just that!

Suddenly Harry realized that he was in imminent danger and needed help.  Harry called the A.A. Hot Line in Hong Kong and two members picked him up at his hotel and took him to a meeting at 12 Borrett Road.

After the meeting I told Harry how touched I was by his share and that .. IF I ever was in Hong Kong .. I would to a meeting at 12 Borrett Road!

Jumping ahead almost two years to the day .. on 25 October 1990 there I was .. in Hong Kong myself.

Since then I have attended meetings at 12 Borrett Road for a period now spanning twenty four years.  I feel a little bit odd that .. sitting in a meeting there .. I am most likely the only member to date-back to October 1990 in so far as attending meetings at 12 Borrett Road.

To get to Borrett Road I begin by catching a Number 9 mini-bus at Exchange Square.

As you will see below .. the Number 9 mini-bus is not yellow. The artificial lighting gives it the above yellow tint.

When you pass the Borrett Mansions you are almost there.

We are almost there .. just a tad further up-the-road.

I show these photos because the bus will be blasting up the hill and you need to know when to signal the driver to stop or he will simply roar past the stop.

On your left above is the bus stop.  The round circle is a Number 9 to designate where the stop is.

The above photo looks back down the hill we just came up.

Two photos of the Number 9 mini-bus in normal day light. This mini-bus has become a real touch-stone for me when I visit Hong Kong.

OK we are off the mini-bus and here is a close-up view of the Carmel School.  

However The Carmel School is NOT our destination. Turning 90-degrees to our right as we stand at the bus stop we look up the hill at the red brick building that is 12 Borrett Road.

"Dad .. Yo Dad .. Take my picture will you Dad?"

If I can stay sober with school buses talking to me SO CAN YOU!

Where was I before I lost my train of thought?  Got it .. up to 12 Borrett Road we go.

Now a straight-on look at the entrance to 12 Borrett Road.

It looks to me like some good things are being done at Number 12 Borrett Road!

Now before we go inside I want to show you an open area to the right of the main entrance where members congregate to visit before the meetings.

On the right edge of the above photo you can see a railing and the blue electrical box.  Below you see the area to the right of the main entrance above.

Inside we go!

Now when you go inside you will turn to your right and you will see the area I spoke of above.

"What's that you say?  This is a program of honesty!".. 
"OK .. the members congregate outside of the meeting room to SMOKE!"

"Shame on me you say?" .. "Is this better?" ..

"OK the members congregate outside of the meeting room to smoke!"

"Anything to keep you happy!  I sure don't want to cause you a resentment!"

In the photo directly above you can see (one of) the two entryway doors into the main meeting room.  This is the exterior entry door as it leads in from the outside porch.

The other door into the meeting room is an interior entry door.

Below we are inside of the main meeting room looking back at the above exterior entry door from inside the room.

Now I will 'pan' to the right.

Below I have crossed the room to look back at the exterior entry door from the other side of the room.

'Panning' to the right from the above photo.

Below are photos showing the interior entry door.

The exterior entry door shown above is not visible in the below photo but it is on the wall to our immediate left below.

WELL! .. We are in China after all!

Beyond the interior entry door in the photo above the Steps in Chinese .. you can see into a second .. very small .. meeting room adjacent to the main meeting room.

Looking straight ahead to the right is the excellent selection of A.A. Books available to the membership for purchase.

In the below photo we have 'panned' to the right in the above photo.

The meeting secretaries sit in the black leather couch below the four framed photos of Bill and Dr. Bob and the Steps and the Traditions.

Now 'pan' to the right of the above photo and you see the below view of that corner of the room.

Below I am standing in the interior entry doorway. The below photos show the main meeting room as viewed when you enter the room from this interior entry door.

The below photo 'pans' left from the above photo. Again you see the meeting secretaries black leather couch and the framed photos of Bill and Dr. Bob .. the Steps and the Traditions.

The below photo looks hard to the left from the above photo and shows a complete selection of A.A. Books for sale.

Below is the other side of the room across from the interior entry door.

The left corner of the room.

Photos of the bulletin board you have seen in the above photos.

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In closing it would be unfair NOT to show all of Lychee!

Lychee remains sober with the help of his higher power and the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous!

Another great meeting is over at 12 Borrett Road in Hong Kong.  Down we go to the bus stop hoping that we have not missed the last Number 9 mini-bus of the day.

In Gratitude to you Number 12 Borrett Road!